The Tower of Juleatid
by UMdancer98
Summary: "Clouds floated through his mind, framing fuzzy pictures of not-so-distant memories. A single thought snaked lazily around the clouds: He was right; I'm not going to make it back this time."
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin (if I did it would have ended better!). I'm not making any profits from this story.

Author's notes: Everyone is still alive; some small spoilers for S4. Three original characters (four others are mentioned but play no part in the story). This is my first time writing and publishing fanfic so please be nice if you decide to review. Constructive criticism is always welcome. I would like to thank my betas better known as my three sisters. Thanks for reading! :)

Prologue

Clouds floated through his mind, framing fuzzy pictures of not-so-distant memories. A single thought snaked lazily around the clouds: _He was right; I'm not going to make it back this time._ A soft, sad sigh escaped his lips as he closed his eyes, welcoming the darkness.

 **Chapter 1:**

"Promise me you won't tell him. He will think he needs to come with me. I can't allow that!"

Gaius looked up at the troubled face of the boy who was becoming a man right before his eyes. "I promise," he replied. _Unless you don't return_ , he finished the sentence in his mind. The boys needed each other, no matter what they thought, but Gaius couldn't deny that this might be one quest that had to be ventured alone. _Although,_ he thought, _maybe he alone won't be enough. What then? If something goes wrong, how can I send the one after the other knowing that there might be dire consequences?_ Gaius was conflicted. Maybe he shouldn't have promised so quickly or easily.

Fastening the sword to his belt, the boy simply said, "Thank you" and left. He slipped stealthily down to the stables, readied his horse and, checking swiftly around to make sure he was alone, mounted and started off at an easy trot toward the gates.

He turned toward the rising sun after exiting the lower town and decided he needed to plan. _How far away is this place? Can I get there in half a day or will the sun be low in the west before I arrive? Should I be bold and ride right up to the entrance or find a different way around? Should I wait for the advantage of darkness?_ So focused was he on his destination and planning that he didn't notice a horse and rider begin to glide through the forest behind him, silent as a gentle breeze.

He stopped twice to water his horse and the sun was just starting its descent when he reached the crest of a hill. The time to decide had come. Wait for darkness or go now? Ride right in or sneak around? He looked up at the forbidding structure that towered over the hill. _Why do they like ruins so much? Almost everyone who is an enemy of Camelot runs off to hide in ruins._ He dismissed the thought and went back to his decision. The hill circled halfway around the tower so he decided to follow the hilltop, keeping near the line of trees in order to view the other side without being discovered. At least he thought he wouldn't be discovered. The silent rider was still shadowing him, back far enough to avoid detection, but close enough to keep him in sight. Decision made, he began the trip from his side of the crescent to the other. Upon reaching the other side, he widened his eyes with surprise and, yes, a little bit of fear. He had expected the first thing he saw: Morgause, Morgana, Fleotis and Jaduan. The fear he felt stemmed not only from that sight, but also the view he hadn't expected: that of an endless army. It stretched from the tower to a distant place that he couldn't even see. He had not anticipated anything like this. This was bad; very bad. How was he going to stop THIS from entering Camelot? Even if he could somehow take out the first 50 men, there were hundreds, maybe even thousands more. If he could get rid of the four leaders, maybe the army would be confused and become chaotic. After all, an army without a captain is just a group of men with weapons, right? Maybe he could even get them to turn against each other. But three with magic and a mighty king…. Well, he didn't have time to just sit there and stare at them. He might already be missed and, knowing the others, they might decide to come after him. Also, there was the whole "endless army preparing to enter Camelot" thing.

He decided to wait for darkness. He might be able to take out more people if he did it quietly and spread the damage throughout the camp, as opposed to fighting a bunch of men in just one area. But how to get to the leaders…? Morgause and Morgana were dangerous enough by themselves but with the formidable witch Fleotis by their side he doubted anyone, even a powerful sorcerer, could stop them. _Anyone except me, right? I can get to them one at a time, if they ever separate! Do they intend to sit there all night? I don't have time for this!_ His frustration was meeting new heights. Knocking people out one by one wasn't the best plan, but it was all he could think of with this new development. Where to start... At the back? He couldn't even see where the army ended! At the front? Too close to the fire; he would be noticed right away. As he was pondering the problem, he felt a shiver run up his back. He quickly turned and looked back, but saw nothing. He faced the tower once again. _Just run through the front door and cut down the bad guys like trees. Easy, right? Nobody will expect…_ and his thought ended abruptly as his world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for reading!

 **Chapter 2:**

He awoke with a sharp headache, like someone was tightening a screw into his head. He kept his eyes closed and tried to take in his surroundings. There was a strong smell of smoke so he was obviously close to a fire. Water was dripping onto his shirt from above so he was probably still near the treeline. He felt soft grass beneath him and cold iron on his wrists, which were shackled in front of him. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring into the dark eyes of a stranger. A stranger who had a scar running the length of his forehead and a knife pressed gently against his ribs. He instinctively jerked away, only to hit his head on a rock.

"I imagine that did nothing to ease the ache in your head, youth of Camelot," the stranger said as he took a step back and sat down. "Your obscene lack of observation allowed me to come up behind you while you were attempting to decide where to start. For that is what you were doing, was it not?"

Doing his best to sound unafraid the blue-eyed boy started asking questions, instead of revealing his not-so-great plan. "How did you find me? What are you going to do? I will fight to the death for Camelot!"

The stranger chuckled. "Yes, I know. You would be dead right now if I had not granted you this favor. Your plan is an act of idiocy and I cannot allow you do it. My name, by the way, is Herush and I have no need of introduction from you. There is no disguise you could wear that would prevent me from knowing your true identity. I am a sorcerer and my gift enables me to see the true heart of a man. You are courageous and loyal but also impulsive. I do not wish any harm to come to you but, if you do not do as I say, you will not find your way back to Camelot. Your friends - yes they are already on our trail - will find your bones and your sword, hardly enough for a proper burial."

 _Okay, so I just have to get away from this very large, very strong-looking old man, get out of these chains, run to the tower (wherever that is) and take out three witches and a king. All before sunrise which, from the color of the sky, is approaching quickly._

Herush laughed again. "Sunrise is in two hours, the witches and so-called king sleep while their army surrounds them and you cannot get away from the very large and strong-looking old man who has you in chains. My gift also grants me the ability to read minds. It is quite useful when dealing with impulsive boys who want to go out and try to save the world on their own."

"Since you know so much about me," the prisoner stated, "then you know why I HAVE to save the world on my own. I can't allow those people to get to Camelot. They are too close for my liking. In fact, anywhere they are is too close for me."

Abruptly changing the subject, Herush inquired, "Why did you not bring your young friend, as you usually do?"

"Too dangerous. If he were to die, I would never forgive myself. Let me go. Please."

Herush shook his head. "Did you never stop to think that maybe he feels the same way about you? That if you were to die, he would not forgive himself? You are two sides of the same coin, two halves of a whole and as close as brothers. It doesn't matter how skilled you think you are; you cannot do this alone."

The young man sighed and whispered, "Then help me."

At this, Herush laughed out loud. "My work here, young man, is done. I have saved your life; that is what I set out to do. Nothing more, nothing less. The army will leave later this morning but I will leave you now. These chains have magic in them. The more you struggle, the tighter they become. You will be freed from them when the witches are beyond your reach. Farewell."

The youth shouted at his receding back, "You can't just leave me here! Come back! I have to do this! Please!"

Herush turned. "You might want to keep your voice down." Then he disappeared into the rising sun.

 _As if I didn't have enough problems, now I have to figure out how to get out of these chains without struggling. Is that even possible? How am I…no, you've got to be kidding me._ Over the top of the hill walked a tall blonde, her slim figure moving as if she was floating on air. "You must be Fleotis. What a pleasant surprise."

She sneered at him. "I must say, I didn't expect you. I thought the other would come, he has such a reputation among my people, but he is not here. Why is that, little one? And who, exactly, got to you before me?" she asked, noticing his chains.

"I thought I would stop for a little chat with you on my way to Morgana's hovel but now I don't have to go there which is such a relief because I have heard that it smells and, in fact, I don't know how she manages to live there," he babbled. _Wherever "there" happens to be. Am I even going in the right direction? What was I saying?_ "Now I can talk to all of you at once – yes I know Morgause and Jaduan are here as well – and perhaps I can convince you to stop all of this army building and plotting against people stuff."

She laughed darkly and started dragging him into the trees with the magic pulsing out of her finger. "Perhaps," was all she said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"Look what I found!" Fleotis was triumphant as she paraded him into the main entryway of the broken tower. The others stood up, wide-eyed, and immediately began asking questions.

"How did you find us?" "Where are the others?" "What is your plan?" The one that worried him the most, though, was "How much pain can you withstand?" which was followed by a sound resembling a cackle. That had to be Morgana.

"Hmm, this is Herush's work, isn't it boy?" Fleotis emphasized the word "boy" by smacking him across the face, using her powerful magic to send him flying into the wall across the room. Morgause looked at Morgana and smiled. This was going to be fun.

They took him to a circular room around the corner from the entryway. A pair of chains dangled from the ceiling. They secured his wrists to one of them and shortened the chain so that only his toes were touching the ground.

Jaduan said, "I don't care about anything this boy has to say. I will leave you to it." Nodding at the women, he left the room.

Morgana walked over to him and tapped him lightly on the nose. "We don't really care what you have to say, either," she whispered.

Fleotis stepped towards them. "Yes, we do, Morgana. I want to know how he found us, what he knows about us and what he intends to do. I know you three have a history so have a little fun but make sure he stays conscious so I can question him when I return." She glided out the door.

"What to do first, sister. Any ideas?" Morgause gave Morgana first choice.

"There is a man out there, Morgause, who specializes in poisons. Do you think Jaduan will let us borrow him for a few minutes?" Morgause smiled as she stepped out to talk to the king. She returned quickly with a small, round man.

"Whaddaya wanna know?" he asked in a gravelly voice.

"Do you have any poisons that cause excruciating pain but don't kill?" Morgana asked sweetly.

He grinned, showing the gaps between his teeth. "Be riy back," he mimicked her tone. He came back bearing three bottles. The first contained a sickly green liquid. "One drop o' this stuff on 'is head'll send pain screeching down 'is body, like he being beaten all over on th' inside. Then rub a drop o' this," he held up a sweet-smelling bottle, "unner 'is nose to keep him conscious, which I'm sure is what yer wantin'. Then ther's this un," he said, holding up a bottle with what looked like tiny worms swimming around in a yellow liquid. "These lil' guys cause a lot of pain but don' do any damage, 'til ya take 'em out anyway. Just pick one up and put it were ya wan' it ago, like this." He picked one up and placed it on the boy's throat. It bit a hole into his skin and wriggled inside. The prisoner opened his mouth to say something but no sound came out. The man laughed. "That'll keep 'im quiet fer ya. If ya wanna hear 'im screamin' just dig the lil' guy out, like this." He took a dagger out of his pocket and dug the little wriggler out. Blood began trickling down the young man's neck and a gasp of pain escaped his lips. "I can go look fer more delightful liquids, if ya want."

Morgana smiled and said, "No, thank you, these are perfect. I will find you if I require something more." She turned her back on him. "Now," she said, "let's have some fun."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:** The Previous Afternoon

The young man pushed open the door to the physician's chambers. "Gaius, do you know where he is? I can't find him and I've searched everywhere! Gaius…?" _Perfect_ , he thought. _That's all I need. My friend (yes, friend!) is missing and I can't find Gaius!_

Just then a familiar voice called from the corridor, "Don't forget to take that tonic right before you go to bed."

Gaius ambled through the door with a heavy sigh. "If only people would follow my instructions the first time…" He trailed off as he noticed the young man. Before he could say anything further, questions were being hurled at him like vegetables at the stocks.

"Where were you? Have you seen him today? Why wasn't he on the training field this afternoon?"

Gaius held up his hand, trying to decide how much of the truth he should tell. He settled for, "He went on a quest."

The young man's tone changed from annoyed to angry. "A quest?! What kind of a quest? By himself? Where did he go? Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't YOU tell me?"

Gaius sighed again. This might hurt the boy. "He didn't want you to go with him. He said he didn't need you."

"What?! He always needs me; he'll get hurt without me! How could you let him leave?" The young man was furious.

Looking slightly guilty Gaius said, "I gave him my word. He will tell you, I'm sure, when he returns." _If he returns_ , he thought sadly.

"Fine, I await his return with great anticipation," the boy said petulantly.

A few hours later he gave up his anticipatory waiting. Walking quickly down the castle corridors and out into the courtyard, he headed for the stables. _I have to go after him. He could be dying on the forest floor for all I know._ His mind made up, he walked through the open doors to the stables. Gwaine was there, sneaking a treat to his horse. _Great, now I have to find an excuse to go on a late night ride._

Gwaine looked up and grinned. "Little late for a ride, isn't it?"

Startled, the young man said, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm here for the same reason you are. My horse deserves a little snack."

Gwaine chuckled and called, "Come on, he's ready to go." Out from the shadows stepped Lancelot, Leon, Percival and Elyan. "Well, almost ready," Gwaine amended, glancing at the knights. "He does need a moment to recover so he can continue to pretend that he isn't going anywhere."

Looking at each knight in turn the surprised youth asked, "What are you all doing here?"

"Going after him, of course, just like you," said Lancelot.

"But…how did you know he was…and I would…?"

Leon smiled. "Well, I just happened to have a small cut on my arm because someone (he glanced at Percival) was swinging a little too aggressively during training. As I was approaching Gaius's chambers, I heard what sounded like anger so naturally I waited out in the corridor until the, ummm, heated exchange was over. When you left you wore that look you get when you are annoyed with a certain someone, whom nobody has seen today. Therefore, I concluded that you would be leaving sometime soon to find him."

"It took you long enough to decide," Gwaine interjected.

Leon continued, "The other knights concurred and that brings us here."

"Where we are currently wasting time discussing how we knew and why we are all here, instead of just going," Lancelot pointed out.

Percival, in a sudden display of wordiness, said, "Well, let's go! He probably left early this morning so we are already almost a day late in following. No telling what's happened to him already!"

There were murmurs of agreement so they led their mounts out of the stables, climbed on and left at a brisk walk. Soon after they left the gates, however, they realized their mistake. They were so anxious to find him that they had left at night. No tracks would be found in the darkness but, instead of returning, they continued to the edge of the forest, entering just far enough that their camp wouldn't be spotted by the guards.

 _That was a stupid decision; what was I thinking?_

"Don't worry mate, if we had waited until morning we might have been noticed. Don't be so hard on yourself." He could hear Gwaine grin as he spoke.

They left at dawn and Percival was the quickest at picking up the tracks. But it was Elyan who found the other set.

"He is being followed," Elyan announced.

Everyone turned in surprise. They had been so focused on their target's trail that they hadn't even considered the possibility of someone else. Friend or foe? Knowing him, most likely foe. He couldn't go anywhere without meeting up with trouble; that's how it seemed to the others, anyway.

"Solo rider, deep tracks. He is either heavy or transporting a large load," Elyan reported.

"Let's follow both sets," said Gwaine. "That way we will know if he is actually being followed or just met up with a traveler and they later parted ways. Lancelot, Percival and I will take his, and you three take the mystery rider."

A few hours later, their fears were confirmed. He was definitely being followed. The tracks stopped in the same general area, but one set stayed a long distance away from the other and was always hidden in foliage. A friend or fellow traveler wouldn't stay out of sight.

 _Of course. He can never just meet up with a friend. Or anybody nice._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

"There is a faint smell of smoke in the air," Leon said as they came together to follow the tracks they knew belonged to him.

"There's a thin trail of gray high above the trees in front of us and, oddly, it is pointing straight up. Is it smoke or a wisp of a cloud?" Elyan wondered.

Lancelot turned and looked at the others. "If it is smoke, it doesn't bode well for us, or him. There is only one structure that, through magic, can send smoke straight into the air, even on the windiest of days. If I remember correctly, it is another few hours ride from here."

The young leader sucked in his breath. "You don't mean the Tower of Juleatid?"

Lancelot sighed heavily as he nodded.

"Why is it always a tower or castle? Can't it be, just once, a humble abode?" Gwaine muttered.

"This isn't just any tower," explained Lancelot. "It is rumored that it was the home of the four witches: Mitha, Rutia, Jenou and Riniata. They made up the Council of Evil. Their wickedness was known far and wide. It was once a belief that if you looked toward the tower and saw smoke, you would die a horrible death that day. However, as far as I know, nobody has seen smoke from that direction for years. It can only mean one thing: the Council of Evil has been revived. The four witches have returned, or somebody is powerful enough to create a new council. Either one will be a disaster."

Leon looked at him in disbelief. "Or there is no such thing as a 'Council of Evil' and someone just stopped to make camp on that mountain. I have heard of this tower. As a young man, I wanted to try to find it. Instead, I became a knight. My brother, however, rode throughout the five kingdoms and beyond and found nothing. It is a rumor and a superstition, nothing more."

Lancelot looked grim as he answered, "It is the tallest and blackest tower I have ever seen. Only a sorcerer can reveal it to the eyes of others. I happened to be with a sorcerer and we sort of stumbled across it. I thought he tripped but he had actually kicked a portion of a wall. He used magic so we could see to go around it. It houses pure evil." Silence reigned. Leon nodded his apology to Lancelot.

"Well, you said only a powerful sorcerer could create the smoke so it's probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to see this tower. Off we go!" Gwaine said brightly and gently kneed his horse into a trot.

A few hours later the party stopped to water their horses.

"That is definitely smoke." The blue-eyed rider turned to look at everyone. "You are all Knights of Camelot. This tower is a place to be feared. I will not blame or shame you if you turn around now. If you continue with me, however, you must commit to going all the way, whatever it takes."

There were nods of assent. Lancelot spoke up quietly, "Once we are in that area the darkness of evil will be all around us. I have felt it and it will become difficult to stay true to each other. If we are to rescue him, we MUST stay strong together."

"I like to feel a little evil once in a while. We can't be perfect Camelot angels all the time, right?" Gwaine tried to lighten the somber mood that was now prevailing.

"I recommend that we take a short break so as to be at our best when the time comes," Leon said as he dismounted. "Let us eat, drink and gather our energy. If everything you and Lancelot say is true, we will need every ounce of strength and courage we can muster in order to rescue him and all return safely."

After a brief respite, the group of six men left their horses and began moving quietly through the trees. The smell of smoke was strong now so they knew they were close to their destination. A scream ripped through the air and they all tensed, looking at each other. Hearing nothing else, they continued on, climbing a hill. When they reached the top they saw two things they would never forget. First, an army that stretched for miles was making preparations for war, probably against Camelot. Second, as they looked down into the ruins of the tower, they saw three people in a small room whom they instantly recognized: Morgause, Morgana and, hanging from the ceiling, a thin young man that could only be Merlin. He was shirtless and bloody but conscious, they could tell. Another blond entered the room. They saw him stiffen as she walked toward him. She smacked him across the face, sending him flying around the room, still hanging from the chains. Even from the hill they could hear the 'crack' of a broken bone. Arthur, blood boiling with fury, almost rushed down the hill right then but was quickly held back by the other knights. They needed a plan and they needed it fast.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

A few hours after her departure, Fleotis returned and immediately gave Merlin a hearty smack, sending him careening into walls as he was flung around the room. He heard the bone break before he felt it. His arm was on fire and he had no way to relieve it. He only made it worse for himself by trying to stabilize it while flying around the room; ending up with a dislocated shoulder. His magic bubbled up inside him but he kept it in, wanting to keep the advantage of surprise for as long as he could.

 _Good, she's back. Maybe she will actually talk about their plans, instead of just "having fun" which isn't really a lot of fun._

Fleotis glared at him. "How did you find us?"

Merlin grinned through the pain and said, "I followed the stench of evil. My turn. What are you planning?"

She snarled. "Do you know how much pain I can inflict with my little finger?" He nodded. "And yet you dare to question my plans." He nodded again. "Interesting. Well, after our chat I'm going to let the girls finish you so I might as well practice what I'm about to say to my, umm our, very large army out there, which I'm sure you have had the pleasure of seeing. We are simply going to march into Camelot, kill Uther and Arthur and take the throne. Anyone who opposes us will die. You look…confused."

Merlin pushed the pain and his magic away and asked, "Why the Council of Evil, then?"

Now it was her turn to look confused. "I have no idea what you are...Oh!" Realization struck her. "You know this is the infamous Tower of Juleatid, don't you?" At his confirming nod she said, "You sweet, idiotic, naïve little boy. Is that why you came all the way out here? You thought the four witches were going to be raised again? Or perhaps you thought someone was powerful enough to re-create the council? This tower, yes, is the source of all the rumors. The four witches did live and die here. There is, however, no 'Council of Evil' and there never was. It is a story, meant to scare travelers away. The witches' bodies were never buried because nobody ever 'visited' so their bones are scattered throughout the tower and surrounding valley. Their deliciously evil spirits still dwell here, though." She paused and scrutinized him. "You feel it, I can tell. Do you practice magic?" She was intensely interested in the answer to this question.

Merlin considered it carefully. "I am not a sorcerer," he answered truthfully.

Both Morgana and Morgause laughed out loud. "Merlin can't walk a straight line to save his life! How on earth could he be a sorcerer?" Morgana giggled spitefully.

"That's not what I asked," Fleotis said in a dangerous voice. "I said, 'Do you practice magic' not 'Are you a sorcerer".

Merlin, who had let his head drop ( _when did it become so heavy?)_ didn't react to her question. It was as if he hadn't heard her.

She walked up to him, grabbed his hair and pulled his head up. He was conscious and alert, so why didn't he answer? She sighed, "Morgana, give me the dagger". She dug the worm out from behind his ear and asked again. "Do you practice magic? I don't care if you don't consider yourself to be a sorcerer. Do you practice magic?" The last sentence was shouted and emphasized with another room circling smack. This time, however, his head hit a wall and he was unconscious long before he stopped swinging.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

They had been quietly talking, and sometimes arguing, for the better part of two hours. What kind of plan can get six men into a tower hosting three witches and an army of thousands and then get them out again with a seventh slung over a shoulder?

Arthur was becoming distracted. _How did Merlin get into this mess? His quest was walking into a tower filled with evil magic?! What was he going to do, try to **talk** them out of going to war with Camelot? Morgana knows he is a servant; why did he think they would listen to him? Why did Gaius think they would listen? Why did Gaius allow him to go…?_

"Enough," Arthur commanded softly. "Listen, what do you hear?"

Gwaine frowned. "Nothing. It's too quiet."

"I agree, something is happening," Lancelot whispered.

Percival peered over the top of the hill. "The tall blond is talking to the army with Morgana, Morgause and some king looking man by her side," he reported. "Merlin…well, he isn't moving."

Elyan moved around to the other side of Percival and gazed down at the front of the tower. "If we can somehow get down the hill here, without being seen, there is a large window in the room where Merlin is being kept. I don't know how we can get him down without being seen or heard, though."

The ground rumbled and shook. Part of the eastern wing of the tower came crashing down, landing on a portion of the army.

"Well, that helped us a little," Gwaine commented, a small grin following his statement.

 _Thank you, Gwaine, for being so astute._

The ground shook again and the same thing happened on the west side of the tower.

"This is not a normal earthquake," Lancelot said. "There is magic at work here. Why else would only parts of the tower come down at a time? The sorcerer must not be strong enough to do the whole thing all at once," he explained.

Arthur looked at him strangely. "How do you know all of this?" he asked.

"I read," was the answer.

"You read about magic?" Arthur didn't like where this was going.

"Can we get on with this, instead of debating what Lancelot should or should not be reading?" Gwaine was clearly irritated.

"Get on with what? We are presently being assisted by an unknown sorcerer who might not even know we are here. Let's see how this plays out. That is my recommendation but I defer to you, Sire." Leon spoke with the calm voice of reason.

 _What about Merlin? Can he afford for us to see how this plays out?_ "We'll wait, but if things start to go badly we go without question," Arthur declared.

* * *

Merlin was slowly returning to consciousness. He watched with lowered eyes as the women departed. It was probably time for Fleotis to "inspire the troops" with her speech. He was left hanging from the ceiling with worms still wriggling around inside him. He groaned as he raised his head, trying to stay conscious. His magic was weak; it was all pulsing toward his injured arm and shoulder, trying to lessen the pain for him. He would be in agony without that help but pooling and using his magic would be better than hanging here waiting to die and knowing Camelot might fall. _Something easy but effective. A storm? No, that wouldn't make much difference with such a large army. Ah, an earthquake._ "Yeah, because that's so easy," he whispered sarcastically. It had to be done, though, so he began to work, feeling the ground rumble beneath his toes. Only a part of the tower fell down, right next to him. _Great. Not strong enough to do the whole thing, no, I have to be a 'little girl' as Arthur would say and make myself do it again. This is going to hurt._ The ground rumbled again and part of the tower on the far side fell away. His vision went blurry and a hammer began pounding a nail into his brain. His arm and shoulder burned and his magic begged to return there. _No! Finish this! For Arthur! For my friends!_ "For Camelot," he shouted as his eyes burned gold and the tower came crashing down around him.

Lightening lit up the quickly darkening sky, thunder roared overhead and wind began whipping through the trees in the forest, sweeping them down the hill with a howl. He was flung to the floor ( _at least the chains are off)_ and showered with rocks and debris. The army was in chaos as the sudden storm, which had swiftly transformed into a tornado, threw portions of the tower throughout the valley. Streaks of black bled through the dirt as great chasms opened up to claim their victims. Screams of terror were heard as the number of enemy soldiers quickly began to diminish. Leaderless and confused, they abandoned their weapons and ran for their lives, only to be swallowed by the earth or swept to the sky.

Fleotis gathered Morgana and Morgause and, with a knowing glare back at Merlin, took them to safety in a whirlwind of fire.

Clouds floated through his mind, framing fuzzy pictures of not-so-distant memories. A single thought snaked lazily around the clouds: _He was right; I'm not going to make it back this time._ A soft, sad sigh escaped his lips as he closed his eyes, welcoming the darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I had decided to stop posting because I didn't know if anybody liked/disliked my story. I thought there was no point in continuing. However, after listening to some advice from a friend, I have decided to continue posting. I don't know how often I will post but eventually we will get to the end. I have also replaced several chapters with updated ones; I didn't like some of the wording and/or descriptions. Anyway, here is the next chapter. If you are feeling generous, please let me know what you think. :) Thanks for reading!

 **Chapter 8:**

"Merlin!" the knights were shouting his name, all the while striking down any opposing soldiers who were still able to stand. Arthur ran to the center of the shattered tower, where he met King Jaduan, who was frantically looking around for the witches even while grimly realizing that they had left him. He recovered quickly, however, when he saw the Crown Prince of hated Camelot running toward him. The fight was intense but swift – Arthur too strong with adrenaline and Jaduan too weak from a wound on his leg that was causing him to lose copious amounts of blood. Dispatching him quickly, Arthur began to panic. All the knights had joined him but there were so many mounds of tower walls; Merlin could be anywhere!

"Spread out and call if you see anything!" Arthur's yell was unnecessary; everyone was already sifting through debris and looking under rocks.

"Here," Lancelot called and everyone rushed to his side. "He's stuck underneath this rock. We need to lift it before it crushes him. Arthur, you are closest to him, pull him out quickly. One, two, three, lift!"

There were grunts of strength heard all around as the dark rock was lifted off the too-still body of their friend. He was suspended by his arms, seemingly lifeless, in a narrow crack that was close to splitting open.

 _At least he isn't crushed,_ Arthur thought and, straddling the thin fracture, he grabbed and pulled, whispering his apologies for the pain he knew he was inflicting. The rock dropped as soon as they were clear and the five knights took a moment to catch their breath as Arthur dragged Merlin away from the gap. Then they quickly surrounded him.

"He's not moving. Is he even breathing?" Gwaine voiced their fears.

Arthur put his ear to Merlin's chest. "It's quiet and small, but it's there. He lives, for now anyway."

Percival was next. "Should we move him farther away? He has many injuries but parts of this side of the tower still stand. They could collapse at any moment."

"We have to," Leon said. "Percival is right. It's too dangerous here. That crevice is already threatening to expand."

Arthur gently picked him up and held him while the others helped Arthur to his feet. They moved toward the hill and lay him down in a shallow, cave-like space near the bottom. His moans of pain filled their ears as they gathered around him again.

* * *

Everything hurt. Every single tiny part of his body was in pain. He still had those stupid worms wriggling around in random places. Suddenly, some of the pain was removed, only to be replaced by a different kind of pain and the whispers of a butterfly in his ears. _Why would a butterfly say sorry?_ That was a thought for later, if he made it out. He knew he couldn't climb the hill or get to his horse like this. He would have to settle for not getting eaten by birds and beasts long enough to heal himself. Not that he was great at healing spells but he would definitely try when he woke up. _Am I already awake? I hear Gwaine…it would be nice to have a joke with him. Lancelot's voice…I could tell him how amazingly scary it felt to have such raw power shoot out of me. Arthur's now…if he were here he would be mad at me, especially after that display of magic._ Something cool touched his lips. _Wait, what? Knights…water…? I really am dead. They couldn't have found me out here. But I shouldn't be in pain if I'm dead, right? Rescue would be nice but I will just fight off the hallucinations and wishes for a few days. I can do it._ His eyes popped open. A circle of blobs that might have resembled faces surrounded his. _Might have,_ was his weary thought as he closed his eyes again.

"Merlin, no, stay with us," Arthur quietly commanded as variations of that sentence were whispered around him.

 _What is it with butterflies today?_

"You're really scaring us, mate." That was Gwaine.

Could they really be here? _Only one way to find out._ He slowly opened his eyes again. "Arthur?"

"Welcome back you lazy excuse for a servant," was the soft reply.

Merlin began to panic. _Did they see me use magic? I'm not going to last long enough to tell them. But...he can do it._ "Lancelot," he choked out.

"I'm here, Merlin."

"If I don't make…tell…always good…protect…not evil…your word."

"You will make it Merlin, don't say things like that. Get some rest. We are here to keep you safe," Lancelot answered.

Merlin resisted as his eyelids reached toward his cheeks. "Your word, Lancelot," he repeated strongly, using the last of his depleted reserves.

"I give you my word, Merlin, on my life." And Merlin relaxed into the darkness.

* * *

He awoke with a start and attempted to sit up. Interestingly enough, his body ignored him. Well, that wasn't good. He tried to look around and settled for using his peripheral vision. Bodies, so many bodies. Was that Camelot red? NO! Somehow, someone had found him and died trying to save him. _Please don't let it be Arthur…or Gwaine, or Lancelot, or Percival, or Leon or Elyan._ The red cape stirred; there was life in him yet! Arthur rolled over and Merlin yelped with pleasure that turned into pain. Instantly, six pairs of eyes were above him. "You all came? Please don't let the birds eat my body when I die," he whispered.

"Of course we all came you idiot. Did you think we would let you get away with trying to be a hero all by yourself? We had to save you," Arthur tried to keep his voice light.

"The birds won't get you because you won't die," Percival explained logically.

"You can't get me back to Camelot alive. I'm almost gone," Merlin started laughing hysterically.

"He's going into shock," Leon said quietly.

Elyan jumped up. "He needs more water. I'll go look around all those delightfully dead bodies that were heaped upon the earth by a helpful sorcerer." Leon got up to help him.

"Lancelot," Merlin whispered. "Your word."

"I gave you my word last night, Merlin, but it is a moot point so stop talking about it," was the somewhat exasperated reply.

"Arthur," Merlin wheezed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Arthur demanded but Merlin was following the clouds in his head again. "Lancelot, what is he talking about. I need to know, now," Arthur's voice left no room for argument.

"Sire, it is for him to tell when he is ready. It is not my place unless he…well," he trailed off uncertainly.

Arthur was frustrated. "Why do you know and not I?"

Lancelot sighed, "I really can't, no won't, tell you. It is his, and his alone, to tell."

Gwaine was listening to this exchange with interest and connecting dots in his head. _Really,_ he thought, _I should have seen it sooner. Courage, strength and magic. I don't have it, Arthur certainly doesn't have it. Wow, I'm an idiot. Well done, Merlin. You are a strong man; hard to keep a secret like that, especially where you live._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

The knights sat once again around Merlin, this time trying to decide how to get him home. A large old man came walking down the hill. Immediately they all stood and drew their swords, unconsciously forming a line in front of Merlin.

The man smiled. "I come in peace, to see how my…friend…is doing."

"We do not know you. You are no friend," Arthur replied.

"Arthur?" came the weak voice behind them.

The man spoke again, "You are the young prince that he always carries around with him, are you not?"

Arthur actually chuckled at that. "You think that HE carries ME around. You have it backwards. I, we, just saved his life!"

It was the old man's turn to chuckle. "You will see, Arthur Pendragon, and you will soon understand. I can feel your noble heart; in fact you all have noble hearts. Do not let your pride replace that nobility. Do not push him; his timetable is not yet set." He looked around, eyes resting only a second longer on Lancelot and Gwaine, who stood next to each other. "His secret is safe?"

"He has my word, on my life," answered Lancelot and Gwaine nodded slightly. Nobody, especially Arthur, needed to know that he had discovered Merlin's secret.

"I can heal him enough to let you get him home to your excellent physician and my old friend. Would you like me to try?" The knights stepped aside but Arthur was still unsure.

"Arthur," Merlin whispered again. "He is a…friend." _Even though he did try to stop me_. Arthur could hear the pain in his voice so he stepped aside, but kept his sword drawn and watched every move carefully.

The old man smiled and touched his staff to Merlin's forehead but quickly drew away with a gasp. "There is evil magic in him still. I must examine him." He took off the cape that had been placed on Merlin's bare chest. "It is as I thought," he said. "Before I can do anything for him, you must dig these out of his body, but only one at a time or you could kill him." He pointed to the five wriggling worms - one in Merlin's stomach, left arm, both legs and his neck.

The knights looked closely. "We didn't even see," seethed Gwaine.

"It is dark magic. It must be pointed out to those without magic. Be extremely careful. It is fortunate for him that I came along. Also, his right shoulder is hanging out of its socket and the bone in his forearm is shattered. I can repair, but not fully restore, the arm. You will have to bind it. The shoulder is also your responsibility. You are all Knights of Camelot, are you not? How did you miss these injuries? I thought his lack of observation was obscene but I had not yet met you. Forgive my bluntness, I am old and do not care about giving offense anymore. Dig out the worms, re-position the shoulder and I will return in the morning to heal what I can."

There was a quick flash of light and the knights could hear bones grinding together as they watched Merlin's right arm twitch violently. They looked up in alarm, but Herush was gone.

"Idiots, we are all idiots." Arthur was furious.

A small laugh came from below him. "No, you are a prideful prat and they were just following your lead."

"Are you insinuating that we can't think for ourselves?" Elyan's smile was forced.

"No, extremely loyal," Merlin whispered wearily. He was ready for the darkness and so he let it take him.

Arthur grimaced. "This is going to hurt," he muttered. "We need to do it quickly, while he is out." Everyone agreed but nobody wanted to start.

"I'll do his shoulder," Leon volunteered. "That might wake him but also help him to pass out again." He grabbed the arm and, as gently as he could, popped the shoulder back into place. Merlin awoke with a gasp and tried to push away. "I'm sorry, Merlin, but it was necessary," Leon spoke with regret.

 _Is he saying something? Why would he wake me up by hurting me? Why can't I just…oh. Great. There are worms inside me._ "Hold me down," Merlin whispered.

"What?" Gwaine asked.

"Hold. Me. Down." His whisper was more urgent this time. "I know what it feels like to have a worm dug out of me and I'm pretty sure that's what you are going to attempt to do." The sentence exhausted him.

"I'm sorry in advance," Arthur confirmed Merlin's fear.


	10. Chapter 10

Special thanks to Ryeweeahsnaveh for taking the time to review. :) Thanks for reading!

 **Chapter 10:**

"Arthur, we will need bandages and our supplies are with the horses back in the forest," Leon stated.

Arthur scowled. "We don't have time..."

"If there is one thing I have learned from Merlin, who learned it from Gaius, it is to always be prepared," interrupted Gwaine. He lifted his tunic and retrieved a small roll of bandages secured to his left hip.

Arthur looked at him in amazement. "Sometimes you surprise me, Gwaine," he said with a slight smile. The smile disappeared when he glanced down at Merlin. "Let's get on with it then."

Percival and Elyan took his arms, Gwaine and Lancelot his legs and Leon his head. Arthur had the unfortunate task of going first. He chose the one in the neck and carefully nicked the skin with his dagger. The worm wriggled quickly away.

"Gotta…fast," Merlin gasped. "Dig hard…they run."

Arthur hesitated. He didn't want to cause more pain than necessary but if it would get the worm out quickly…. He waited for the worm to stop moving then pushed down hard and fast, stabbing it with the dagger and triumphantly pulling it out and holding it up. His look of victory fell, however, when he looked down and saw Merlin pale, bloody and weakly struggling to escape the pain.

"All out…now," he was pleading.

The knights' eyes were wet with unshed tears. "We have to do it one at a time. That's what the old man said," Lancelot stated, his voice shaking. Arthur passed the dagger to Elyan, who was holding the unbroken left arm with the worm at Merlin's elbow.

"Hard and fast," Arthur reminded him. Elyan missed the first time but snatched it as it tried to wriggle away down the arm.

Merlin screamed with terror. "Please…stop," he cried. Now the unshed tears were falling but nobody commented on that.

"Faster," Gwaine shouted, "get this over with!"

Lancelot grabbed the dagger, paused to allow the worm near Merlin's ankle to calm down so it wouldn't get away, then jabbed down and threw it out. Gwaine snatched the dagger as Lancelot was tossing the worm and, quickly judging the next worm's approximate stopping point, pierced Merlin's other leg near the knee, flinging the worm aside and shoving the dagger at Percival, who had the horrible job of releasing the one in Merlin's stomach.

"Let him catch his breath or you could hit something that shouldn't be hit!" Leon yelled as Percival raised the dagger. Merlin was sobbing, his chest was heaving and he was trying desperately to get away.

"I won't tell you anything," he screamed. "There is nothing you can do that will make me betray my friends or Camelot." He moaned painfully as the heaving in his chest began to slow.

Arthur gently grabbed both sides of his face to try to bring him back. "You are safe Merlin. This is necessary but we are almost done. We can't get the last one out until you are calm. Breathe. In and out. Do it with me," he commanded.

Merlin opened his eyes and looked at him darkly. "You are a dream. You are not here. I will be dead and eaten before you even get close to this place. You are only in my mind. You would never cause me this much pain. Leave and don't come back. It will be harder for me to hold out if you stay. Go away!"

"Arthur," Leon whispered, "back up. I'm sorry, Sire, but he does not understand where he is. Perhaps he will be able to calm down if he can't see you, or any of us." He looked at the other knights. "Continue to hold him down but stay as far away from his line of vision as you can. Percival," he said quietly but firmly, "you must get the worm to move down. It is very near to his heart. I fear what will happen if either the worm or the dagger gets there. When it gets below his ribs, move it to the side and stab there."

Arthur reluctantly moved away as Percival grunted in acknowledgement. Pricking the skin near the top of Merlin's ribs, he forced the worm to scurry away down his body. Percival moved the dagger to his stomach and prodded the worm gently. It wriggled left, reaching the side of Merlin's body at exactly the moment that Percival stabbed down. Blood began to flow quickly and freely from the slash as he extracted the worm.

Merlin's scream was the worst sound any of them had ever heard and he declared despairingly, "It doesn't matter when you kill me. It only matters that you will not get any information from me. Even as I die there is still a chance of happiness for all of Camelot. You…wasting…time." He lost his breath at the end and finally, blissfully, passed out.

* * *

After stemming the flow of his blood, the knights wrapped the puncture wounds, bound his arm and shoulder and then huddled around him. Nobody was willing to leave his side so they passed the night in near darkness, secure in their knowledge that they had left no one alive at the tower. Merlin did not move, at times did not even seem to breathe. The only indication of life was a slow, small pulse under the thin bandage on his neck.

Arthur kept closing and opening his own eyes, willing Merlin to awaken. It wasn't working and he was frustrated. _How could Morgana do this to him? They were friends once, weren't they? He thinks I, we, would not come to rescue him. He thinks he is on his own. We are ALL friends, does he not believe that? How can we bring him back to us? How did he bear all that pain and not break? He's just a servant! He hasn't been trained to absorb that much pain. I command you to wake up and remember where you are!_

Lancelot watched Arthur carefully. _How will he react if I do eventually have to tell him? I understand why Merlin does not want to. He will feel betrayed; he might not forgive him even in death. But he does have a noble heart, as the old man said. Maybe he will understand._

Gwaine stared at Merlin, seeing nothing but the worms wriggling through his body. _If he ever remembers, he will hate us. He will thank us, that's how he is, but he will be scared of us. We intentionally hurt him, though he will come to understand why. It shouldn't be like this. He has magic, he will be fine…._

Elyan looked everywhere except at Merlin. _Gwen will never forgive me if he dies. He is a good friend, a loyal and kind friend. This should not be the way he dies. He will get better; he will grow old, maybe even large like the sorcerer who says he can heal him._ That thought gave Elyan a smile, albeit a small and unhappy one.

Percival glanced from Lancelot, to Arthur, to Merlin and repeated the cycle. _I have only known him a short time but he is one of my best friends. If this is so hard for me, it must be killing those two. We need him; even though we sometimes don't act like it. I don't want to feel the strength leave his body as I carry him away, dead or close to it, like I did after the dorocha. Come back to us!_

Leon watched the emotions flitting across the faces of the other knights, especially his prince. _I must say something. I am the oldest, the most experienced. But how can I fight this battle? There is nothing I can think of that will bring comfort to these most brave and noble knights. I have not been taught how to do this…._

Leon stood up but didn't move from Merlin's side. "The old man approaches," he said, a little surprised. None of them had noticed the sun creeping up in the eastern sky. Dawn had arrived.


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to TheHufflepuffHuntress for the reveiw!

 **Chapter 11:**

Herush watched from the top of the hill as the sun peeked over the mountain. He couldn't see the boy, who was in the middle of a protective circle, but he could see the blood surrounding the area. They had done it. He idly wondered if it had been hard or if they had just ripped out the worms without a second thought. He closed his eyes to better listen to their hearts. Ah, of course it had been difficult. In fact, they had all been crying. But something was off. There was still a shadow of evil in the air. He sifted through the minds of the men until he found the quiet one that belonged to the boy. His thoughts were dangerous; he was still chained in the circular room, feeling the pain of a green liquid. It was time to bring that out. So he began the long walk down the hill, nearly arriving at the entrance of the superficial cave before being noticed.

Arthur jumped up. "Heal him," he commanded, "and do it quickly!"

Herush shushed him calmly and said, "He is not here, he is still suffering."

"We know that," shouted Gwaine. "He has been telling us that we can torture him! He thinks we are hallucinations! He doesn't believe we would come for him!"

"Calm yourself, lost noble. He will come back to us. There is yet poison in his system, one I did not feel around the worms. You did release them, did you not?"

"Worst night of my life and, yes, we did," Lancelot answered for them.

Herush closed his eyes, paused, and then slowly opened them. "He is bruised from the inside. I must bring them out. This poison was used to beat him. That is how it makes one feel, anyway. No visible damage on the outside, but inside he is battered to his very bones. This is why he does not recognize you. He is still being beaten. He is still with the witches."

Everyone gasped at once as understanding dawned upon them.

Arthur dropped to knees, head in his hands. "He is going to die, isn't he?" There was agony in his voice.

Herush knelt down in front of Merlin and found Arthur's eyes. "He may yet live. You must find water, a lot of it, and quickly. The wounds must be drawn out now or he will have no chance at all. Go!"

All of the knights ran off to locate any source of water they could. They came back bearing water skins from the bodies of King Jaduan's army and Elyan had noticed a small stream on the far side of the hill. Herush placed his hands on Merlin's stomach and began whispering words in a language nobody could understand.

"Is this safe?" Gwaine needed assurance from somebody.

"What choice do we have?" whispered Arthur.

* * *

Merlin felt magic flowing through his body, but it wasn't all his. This was painful magic but, somehow, also healing. _Why do I always have to experience great pain in order to heal? No, I was wrong. This is not healing; it is a ruse to get me to open up. I must resist._ So he did. He forced his magic to rise against the pain and fight it off. Herush was pushed back and fell down.

"What happened?" Lancelot demanded.

"He is…resisting." Herush glanced up at Lancelot with a knowing look in his eyes. "How, I do not know. He is trapped in his mind and thinks this is not real. I need your help, all of you. He needs to know you are all here. He has to believe it or this will not work. Come, sit on his other side and just talk to him. Don't talk all at the same time; you will overwhelm him. Choose one person to talk and then pass it off to someone else. Let us begin with you, young Pendragon, the other side of his coin." At this last remark everyone looked confused but obediently went to Merlin's side and sat down.

"What should I talk about?" Arthur asked.

"Something that will make him understand that you are really here; not merely a trick conjured up by the witches. Something they would not know about your relationship, your history, how you act around each other, things like that. Think of your stories quickly; his very life may depend on it."

Arthur began, "Remember the time when…"

As the knights took turns telling stories, Herush went back to his chanting and muttering. He paused after several minutes and whispered, "Come back. Listen to the voices of your friends. Do not push me away again, young man, or I will chain you up on that hill like I did before."

Merlin continued to struggle but his magic was becoming weak. He heard a whisper of encouragement and listened carefully, trying to decipher the words. He heard Arthur, telling the story of…what? He was still imagining things. _But wait; they wouldn't know that story. Morgana was gone long before that happened. Am I free? But the pain is back, almost worse than before. Night…worms, daggers, faces, evil. Stop, stop,_ "STOP!" The last word was shouted aloud. Everyone looked down in surprise, even Herush. Merlin's eyes fluttered open and the knights watched him cautiously. "Art…lot…Gw…val…yan…Le?" Although the names were woefully incomplete, they knew he was trying to figure out if they were really there.

"Yes, Merlin, we are here for you," their voices were excited as they moved closer.

Herush held up his hands. "Stay. He needs space and time. Let him get his bearings. He is returning, but slowly."

Merlin peered up at the line of faces. "You came…?"

Arthur smiled and replied, "We had this conversation yesterday. We came, all of us. You need us you idiot."

Herush laughed. "Do not patronize him. He is…well, as I said before, you will soon understand. I leave you now. Be careful transporting him. The marks from the beatings will soon appear and he will be in great pain. I am surprised they have not yet come out. That is what the water is for; you must saturate every spot that shows a bruise. Also, he should not ride alone. Tell Gaius that his old friend, Herush, sends his regards. Goodbye, young prince and brave knights. Farewell, young man. I hope we shall meet again at a better time and place." The last bit was directed at Merlin.

"Thank you!" Lancelot called as the old man turned and began his trek up the hill. Pausing, Herush turned and inclined his head then continued his journey, fading quickly into the sunlight.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Percival, as the strongest, carried Merlin up the hill. When they reached the top, Merlin was cringing in pain. He was biting his tongue to keep from crying out but Percival could feel him flinching with each step. He gently laid him down and called the others over when he saw what was happening. Deep, purple bruises were flowering all over his body. Soon there was not a spot of skin without a mark that was causing him great pain.

"It's 'kay," he gasped. "Inside…coming out. Relief inside…" He trailed off wearily.

"The water," Arthur yelled. "Where is the water?" Merlin groaned. The knights ran down the hill, gathering the skins they had forgotten in their excitement of his return.

"Saturate every spot?!" exclaimed Lancelot incredulously.

"We might as well give him a bath," Gwaine stated.

"The stream," Elyan shouted, "we can submerge him in the stream!"

Merlin was curling in on himself, mumbling something about watery relief.

"Not yet," Arthur said urgently. "Pour all the skins on him and then we will carry him to the stream."

The knights poured the contents quickly over his entire body, and then Percival scooped him up and ran, apologizing profusely the whole time, to the stream that Elyan had found. They were disappointed upon their arrival, however, when they realized that it was less like a stream and more like a brook.

"Lay him in there anyway," Leon advised. "We can refill the skins and pour the water over him as many times as necessary."

Percival moved carefully into the water and laid Merlin down. He arched in agony and Percival snatched him up again.

"Rocks," growled Arthur, "there have to be rocks." He stepped into the water and sat down. "Give him to me, I'll hold him still and keep the rocks off his back."

Percival passed Merlin gently to the prince and, once he was situated as comfortably as possible, the knights began pouring water all over his body. Merlin shivered and ground out the word "cold" through his chattering teeth. Arthur agreed but did not voice the thought.

"Don't be such a girl, Merlin. Can't you deal with a little bit of cold water?" There was no reply and Arthur tipped Merlin's head to the side so he could see his face.

"Whaddya wan' prat?" Merlin slurred grumpily.

"Stay awake. Don't leave us again. Do you understand me?" Arthur commanded while looking intently into Merlin's eyes. He received a small nod in return. The knights continued pouring the breathtakingly cold water over them. Merlin closed his eyes.

"MERLIN," Gwaine yelled very close to his ear.

His body twitched with surprise as his eyes jerked open. "Resting eyes, not sleeping," he murmured.

"Sorry about this, mate," Gwaine said and splashed a little water on his face. The slap of cold woke him up quickly and kept him awake.

"How long do we do this?" Lancelot queried. The knights began arguing about when he should be taken out.

Lancelot heard the answer as a gentle voice whispered through the breeze, "You have done well, man of secrets. It has done all it will do. Warm him."

Leon, who saw Lancelot pause and cock his head as if listening to something, held up his hand and said, "Stop. I think Lancelot might have a suggestion." Lancelot turned toward him with a surprised expression.

"What did you hear?" Leon asked.

"The old man's voice, I think. It was like a whisper on the breeze."

"Well, what did it, or he, say?" Arthur spoke impatiently.

Lancelot looked at him. "He said we should take him out and warm him up."

Gwaine immediately stepped toward the two boys but Percival was closer. He gently lifted the soaking Merlin from the arms of the prince, who was then helped up by Leon and Elyan. From somewhere in the forest a warm wind began to blow toward them, aiding the knights in their task of returning warmth to the bodies of Merlin and Arthur.

A chuckle rumbled through the wind. "Farewell men of destiny," they heard as it slowly died down.

"Can I sleep now?" Merlin asked softly and didn't wait for the answer.

* * *

 _Well, his body is still a mess of bruises. Did that frozen torture even help?_ Arthur was watching the rise and fall of Merlin's chest.

"So, now what? We wait for him to wake up or load him up while he's out?" That was Gwaine, never one who wanted to sit around and do nothing.

Leon, the voice of reason again, spoke from a lifetime of experience. "The sooner we get him to Gaius, the better. It might also give his body some relief to be up. He has been on his back for two days now."

They all looked at Merlin, who didn't even look like Merlin. Splotches of purple and black covered his body, along with the deep wounds made with the dagger that nobody wanted to remember. Except…the one on his side was bleeding again. A lot.

Lancelot sighed. "We need more bandages. His wounds are clean from the water but his side has opened up. Where are we going to get clean cloth?"

They all glanced around and thought of it at the same time. Elyan verbalized it: "Wash the capes."

Arthur stayed with Merlin while the knights went to gather the capes from the indentation at the bottom of the hill where they had spent the worst night of their lives. They took them to the small but useful brook and rinsed off the dirt and grime as best as they could with so little water. Not exactly clean but better than anything else they had. Strips were torn off, bandages unwound and new cloth wrapped quickly around the bloody flesh at each puncture wound.

Merlin was floating again. This time the pictures were not fuzzy memories but clear images of friends. Friends who had come for him. His brow wrinkled. _They shouldn't be here. Well, it's a moot point now, as Lancelot would say. Why would he say that? He's never said that before._ He felt himself being lifted and knew he was going to roll down the hill. He cried out and opened his eyes.

A horse; Arthur's horse. Strong arms wrapped themselves securely around his waist and a hand gently pushed his head back to rest on an equally strong chest. "It's alright, Merlin. We are going home."

 **THE END**


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